One Moms Quest to Contain the Chaos

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Captain Mahlie of the Salty Sea

Recently Mahlie has been OB-SESSED with her TV shows. So I was very excited to be taking the girls on vacation to the Outer Banks to stay with a friend for a long weekend.

Sun, sea, sand.

Except it was more cold, clammy, misty, stormy.

That’s okay though, because we had a great house right on the sound with awesome views. Even though it was sweater weather, Sweets was barefoot with her tights rolled up to her knees, running around in the cold water happy as a clam.

Have you ever noticed how kids are NEVER cold? I mean, there could be a reason a bazillion kids love the song “Let it Go”…”the cold never bothered me anyways” could be Sweets’ mantra. I was following her around, my feet turning purple clutching steaming hot coffee. I was following her to keep her safe because of the whole water safety thing. But the water in the sound MAYBE covers the top of her feet, so I decided I could actually monitor her from the all glass dining room.

Sweets: “Mommy, if I fall in the water, come save me.”

Me: “If you fall down in the water just stand up again. Or even just roll over- the water doesn’t come up to your big toe.”

I was so happy watching her run around, big net in hand looking for “Mr. Snappy” the turtle, singing “I am Captain Mahlie of the salty sea!” at the top of her lungs in her best pirate voice.

Away from the trappings of TV and computers and iPhones and video games she was happy as can be. She didn’t need beeps and blips and cartoons and commercials.

She needed fresh air and salty water and bare feet in the sand and freedom to run.

She needed new friends and dinners together and running through the sound with a spatula in her hand to “dig for clams”.

She needed freedom to run and explore and experience new things, like kayaking for the first time.

The Practice Round

She needed fresh air and a strong breeze and a kite in her hand.

The things kids need are not necessarily the things they always ask for. But if you just give it to them, they will embrace it and enjoy it and love it and start having fun and forget all about the blips and the beeps and the videos and the commercials.

It may have been cold and windy and misty, but watching my girl enjoying the outdoors filled my heart and spirit with the kind of warmth you can’t find on a beach.